POVERA BUTTERFLY!

 Valeria Chibis, Charles Gray, Emi Noguchi, Tomoko Nago, Maestro Elizabeth Hastings, 

Nikhil Krishna, and Jihye Seo

It took several hours from the curtain call for us to compose ourself sufficiently to summarize our deeply felt experience with Amore Opera's production of Puccini's popular masterpiece Madama Butterfly. There were two aspects of the production that produced these intense feelings and we will deal with them in turn.

To begin with, soprano Jihye Seo turned in a performance that went straight to the heart. There was not a single vocal flaw to distract us from her dramatically valid performance. With beauty of tone, accuracy of phrasing, and excellent Italian, Ms. Seo caught nuances of Cio-Cio-San's journey that was no less challenging than Violetta's journey in Verdi's La Traviata.

She begins her journey as a naïve 15 year-old child with more stars in her eyes than there are in the sky on the night of her honeymoon. As a child she shows her few dear possessions to the older man to whom she has pledged her love.  She is innocent to the ways of the world and the cultural differences between herself and the transient American naval officer. She is all too willing to cut herself off from her family and her Buddhist faith. 

In the next act, we see from her meeting with Sharpless, the United States Consul at Nagasaki (Charles Gray), that she knows little of the ways of the world and is so immersed in denial of reality that the kindly Consul just gives up. Ms. Seo does show us a Cio-Cio San who has kept her faith in Pinkerton's return and has also made efforts to westernize herself.   Her "Un bel di vedremo" did not fail to move us with vocal beauty and dramatic honesty.  Poor Suzuki (Tomoko Nago) stands by Butterfly, seemingly more aware of reality but unwilling to confront her. The smarmy Goro (Mark Martinez) is only interested in how he can profit from the situation. 

By the time she is confronted with indisputable evidence of her abandonment, the childlike innocence drops away and Ms. Seo gives us a strong young woman who sees the future and rejects the two unacceptable options. Marriage to a wealthy oft-divorced Prince Yamadori (a most effective Ting-Yi Chen, who also made a fine angry Bonzu) or eking out a living to support her son without familial support seem equally unacceptable. With true grit and undeniable purpose she chooses the one option that her culture offers, that of suicide. Her fraught encounter with Kate, Pinkerton's new wife, offers her some relief that her beloved son will be cared for.  

So dramatically accurate and emotionally moving was Ms. Seo's performance that we had tears rolling down our face from Act II until the powerful ending.  We might add that Nikhil Krishna's Pinkerton accurately represented the attitude of a narcissist. It is not just the carelessness of colonialism but a true lack of compassion. Mr. Krishna's performance grew from Act I to Act III although the character of Pinkerton did not. He is simply a selfish child abuser whose final aria "Ah, son vil" is histrionic and performative. He will get back on his ship and will have forgotten this youthful episode. We secretly hoped that Kate (a lovely Valeria Chibis) will make his life miserable and devote herself to helping young Sorrow (Emi Noguchi) deal with the stress of growing up in 19th century America as a mixed race child.

As you may have guessed, Dear Reader, we were quite immersed in the story and now we will tell you the cause. It was the astute direction of Tami Swartz, whose Japanese background and diligent scholarship made the story more real, more impactful, and ultimately more satisfying. Some opera goers may think of Puccini's masterpiece as a love story but we have always seen it as a story of rampant colonialism and narcissistic child abuse. We were glad that Ms. Swartz sees it the same way. This production dates back about two decades when she did the research to make the production more authentic, tweaked the libretto, and starred as Cio-Cio San with her husband Adam Klein as Pinkerton for Harrisburg Opera.

Although we generally disapprove of changes to the classics, in this case the tweaking actually improved upon the original with a few minor changes and additions to the Illica/Giacosa libretto that enhanced the storytelling. The awkward playing space did not stand in the way of Ms. Swarz' directorial creativity. Even the aisles were put into service for the parade of relatives coming to the wedding. Other people in the audience seemed as enthralled as we were as evidenced by conversations in the lobby and in the ladies room. A standing ovation confirmed our impression.

Musical values were fine with Maestro Elizabeth Hastings in firm control of the orchestra. Costumes by Sarah Pearson seemed accurate to the time period which had been pushed back to mid 19th century for reasons of historical accuracy.

We cannot end without noting that the excellent cast deserved a more suitable playing space with the orchestra in a pit. Unfortunately, affordable spaces like that in Manhattan are as scarce as proverbial hen's teeth. These young singers occasionally had difficulty cutting through the dense orchestration, with the exception of Ms. Seo, whose soprano rose right above the orchestra. Lighting was also a problem with the entire space brightly lit, making the excellent titles rather difficult to read. Minor quibbles aside, it was a most worthwhile evening, one we will not soon forget. Actually we plan to attend another performance to see how things work with a different cast, so watch for an addendum.

© meche kroop

A DIFFERENT "MOSTLY MOZART"

Charles Gray, Jennifer Zamorano, Allegra Durante, Hannah Madeleine Goodman, and David Serero

Opera fanatics might have gotten their knickers in a twist at last night's production of Mozart's Nozze di Figaro but everyone else, ourself included, had a grand time. Gone were the lengthy intermissions, missing were a few characters, and lengthy recitativi were replaced by English dialogue that advanced the action. We are happy to report that most of the major arias were retained, giving us the opportunity to appreciate some fine singing.

This adaptation was written and directed by baritone David Serero, a larger-than-life character with a larger-than-life personality. Mr. Serero himself took on the part of Figaro and played to the (nonexistent) balcony. If we had been at the Met, his voice would have reached the Family Circle and his acting would have successfully limned his character to the audience thereof.

Mr. Serero likes to put his own spin on things and the dialogue he wrote was peppered with Yiddish expressions. A mysterious figure appeared from the wings at one point, accompanied by a theme from the film The Godfather. This presence represented the sneaky Don Basilio; a photo of this character (actually Mr. Serero with a mobster accent and mafioso costume) can be seen in the carousel of photos on our Facebook page (called Voce di Meche). At another point, Charles Gray's Count Almaviva appeared dressed as Darth Vader, accompanied by appropriate music. That's one way to threaten a wife!

At another point Mr. Serero interpolated the "Figaro Aria" from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Forget the "fourth wall". Mr. Serero does everything he can to engage the audience and they all adore him; they even sang along at his bidding. A Tom and Jerry cartoon of this aria was projected and reminded us of our very earliest exposure to opera.

If this sounds like your cup of borscht, we urge you to go and have a good time. Make sure you bring an opera "noobie". The one we invited had a swell time.  Not only will you have a great time but you will hear some fine voices.

As the sprightly Susanna, we heard Hannah Madeleine Goodman who was completely convincing as the practical problem-solver, a fine match for her Figaro. She deftly illustrated quite different responses to her beloved fiancé and toward the importuning Count. In what would have been Act IV, her "Deh vieni, non tardar" was beautifully rendered and quite moving, by virtue of some exquisite dynamics.

As the neglected Countess Almaviva, Jennifer Zamorano made her entrance in sunglasses and shopping bags. It was easy to accept her as a woman of dignity, reduced to seeking help from her servant Susanna.  She shone in both arias--"Porgi amor" and "Dove sono", eliciting compassion in the midst of all that hilarity. Her instrument has a lovely vibrato and opens up beautifully in the upper register.

Equally convincing was the Cherubino of Allegra Durante who did justice to both of her arias "Non so piu" and "Voi che sapete". The scene in which the Countess and Susanna dress Cherubino up as a girl wound up on the cutting room floor, along with Marcellina, Dr. Bartolo, and Barbarina. It seems to us to be quite a challenge to retain the thread of the story whilst eliminating all the subplots--but it worked just fine.

As Almaviva, Charles Gray also evinced a different relationship with Susanna and with his wife. He sported a cockeyed white perriwig and satin coat. It was interesting that the male characters were in period dress whilst the female characters were in contemporary attire. Notes to the Count were handled by text with appropriate sound effects, bringing this costume drama right into the 21st c. and adding to the general merriment.

There was no set to speak of but projections sufficed to establish the setting.

The piano score was well played by composer Felix Jarrar who switched readily from Mozart to cinematic score.

Once more, Mr. Serero has done his part in bringing opera to new audiences with his creative slant. This production was held in the comfortable theater of the Center for Jewish History and was presented by The American Sephardi Federation which generously supports these works. He shared with the audience information about Lorenzo Da Ponte, who was Jewish. He related how Da Ponte brought opera to New York City--a tale which was well told by Divaria Productions which we reviewed in May of 2018; it can be read at this link if you are interested. http://www.vocedimeche.reviews/2018/05/don-giovanni-in-new-york.html

There will be a couple additional performances and we hope you will take advantage of the opportunity for some hearty laughter.

We are looking forward to the production of Anne, a musical about Anne Frank which will take place in September.

(c) meche kroop

AMORE MEANS LOVE

Act II of La Boheme at Riverside Theater

Our first exposure to Amore Opera was three years ago when we saw their commendable production of Puccini's 1898 opera La Bohème. It is such a charming and intimate production that we wish that President Nathan Hull (who also directed the production with his customary singer-friendly touch) would make it an annual Xmas event, as we hope he will do with his recently reviewed Scrooge.

Mr. Hull changes the casting from one performance to the next but the singers are always fine. At last night's performance, one cast member was remembered from the performance we saw three years ago. The role of the painter Marcello was sung and enacted beautifully by baritone Robert Garner with soprano Cassandra Douglas wowing both the onstage "audience" at Café Momus and the audience at Riverside Theater with her over-the-top performance of an histrionic vain woman who also is the possessor of a generous heart.

As the doomed Mimi, soprano Rachel Hippert superbly conveyed a real young woman, not just a cliché. Amore regular José Heredia used his full-throated tenor to show us a Rodolfo who is love-struck in Act I and II, but in over his head by Act III and in denial in Act IV.

We are quite sure that everyone knows the story and there isn't much new to say. We perceive it as more than a tragic love story; it is also a story of "adulting", part of which is facing reality. 

Four feckless young men share a garret in Paris, eking out a barely sustainable living but still full of high spirits and horseplay. We love the scene in which they "prank" their landlord and the way they attack Schaunard's bountiful Xmas basket with no interest in the amazing story of how he earned the funds to supply it.

Rodolfo is very human and acts like many people do when they face a situation with which they cannot cope; they blame someone else. He cannot face the fact that Mimi is dying and he cannot keep her warm or restore her health so he invents petty jealousies. Marcello, who cannot keep his own love life straight, is the one everyone turns to for advice. Before he knows the entire story, he counsels Mimi to separate. The fact that Mr. Garner is somewhat older than the other "bohemians" lends verisimilitude to his position as advisor.

Mimi has also been in denial about her illness until she overhears Rodolfo being forced by Marcello to reveal the reason for his bad behavior toward her. Now that the facts are on the table, Mimi and Rodolfo decide to stay together until Spring.

Because of the episodic nature of the libretto (by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa) we do not know what happened between Acts III and IV but Mimi is found wandering the streets in extreme physical distress and is brought to the garret by Musetta so she can die surrounded by beloved friends (accompanied by Puccini's most gorgeous music.)  It was difficult to stanch our tears.

We in the audience know that none of the survivors will ever be the same again.

Colline was sung by bass Virdell Williams who sounded fine throughout but failed to move us to tears with "Vecchia zimarra". Colline is not just saying goodbye to his overcoat but to his youth; we wanted more poignancy.

Schaunard was sung by Charles Gray whose tale of the poisoned parsley went by so unnoticed by his greedy flatmates.

Benoît was performed by bass Gennadiy Vysotskiy, whose humor was effective. If we are not mistaken, he performed Colline three years ago.

Rick Agster, whom we just enjoyed in Scrooge, was funny as Musetta's wealthy and much put-upon "patron".

Andrew Watt played the toy vendor Parpignol who captivated all the children like the Pied Piper.

We liked the directorial touch (by Mr. Hull and Iris Karlin, who portrayed Musetta three years ago) of having the customs officials (Thomas Geib and David Owen) behaving rather passive-aggressively at the city gates toward the waiting merchants and street sweepers.

Richard Cerullo's clever sets worked well with the stage of the Riverside Theater and Cynthia's Psoras' costumes were perfect. Gone were the awful wigs of three years ago!

We hear probably 360 performances a year and we have never witnessed a more enthusiastic audience. Even the Café Momus waitress (Nyah Williams) got lavish applause which she surely deserved for putting an individual spin on the role.

Directed by Susan Morton, the chorus was excellent. Maestro Scott Jackson Wiley did his best with a rather deficient orchestra, beginning the evening with intonation problems. As the evening progressed, he pulled them together but this is the only sub-par feature of a wonderful evening.

The final performance is tonight, New Year's Eve, and we plan to see it again with a different cast.  And so should you!

(c) meche kroop

NON GIOVANNI

Charles Gray, Javier Ortiz, Jennifer Allenby, David Serero, Anna Cley, and Pablo Veguilla

We wish we'd been able to review David Serero's Don Giovanni earlier in the run; we'd have advised you to bring all of your opera newbie friends to this 80 minute abbreviated version of our favorite Mozart opera. There were laughs aplenty provided by Mr. Serero's adaptation with recitativi eliminated in favor of English dialogue, replete with jokes.

As a matter of fact, although the music was all Mozart and nothing but Mozart, Lorenzo Da Ponte's libretto received short shrift, which was curious in light of the fact that Mr. Serero's operatic productions favor stories about the Jewish people or which were written by Jewish people. (We don't, however, expect to see Verdi's Nabucco on the modest stage of the Center for Jewish History--not even with the "Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves".) So, the Jewish connection  was based upon the libretto of the Jewish Da Ponte. To honor him, Mr. Serero moved the setting from Seville to Venice, Da Ponte's birthplace. However, he also changed the story a bit.

Mr. Serero is quite a showman and the moment he stepped onstage we immediately thought of POTUS.  Therefore we were not surprised when he did outright imitations of our Liar/seducer in Chief; and they were very good imitations at that, providing lots of laughs for the audience. (There were other references to popular culture as well, but most went over our high-browed head--something about Lady Gaga and Starwars.)

In any case, he threw himself into the part, portraying Don Giovanni as a smarmy cad. He surrounded himself with some excellent singers, ensuring that the brief evening of the major arias, connected by English dialogue, was of musical value to those of us who are not newbies. Sometimes, we girls just want to have fun!

Charles Gray made a very funny Leporello, Don Giovanni's servant and side-kick, bearing an iPad on which he swiped, in order to show Donna Elvira all of his master's conquests in the "Catalogue Aria".  Mr. Gray not only sang well but put all kinds of physical comedy into his portrayal.

The women singers were all excellent.  We heard the strong voiced Anna Cley as the very angry Donna Elvira and Jennifer Allenby as Donna Anna, and a very fine Donna Anna she was. In the role of Zerlina, Yi Wang portrayed her as more innocent than most, making Mr. Serero's vile seducer seem even more vile. He said he was "reeling her in like a fish", which he mimed. 

Her sposo Masetto was portrayed by Javier Ortiz who did double duty as the Commendatore.  There was a funny bit when he was slain and lying on the stage until the next scene and was told by Mr. Serero to get up and get out because his scene was over, and Mr. Ortiz replied that he had fallen asleep.

And finally, Pablo Veguilla took the role of Don Ottavio and did a fine job with "Il mio tesoro". We particularly enjoyed the trio of Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, and Don Ottavio.

The piano reduction was perfectly performed by composer/pianist Felix Jarrar, right from the overture until the end when Mr. Serero jumped offstage into the waiting fires of hell whilst Disney's "That's All Folks" was projected on the rear wall. A good time was had by all.

(c) meche kroop

VPNYC FILLS THE BARBER CHAIR

Patricia Mullenaux, Charles Gray, Madison Marie McIntosh, Yun-Kwan Yiu, Sam Varhan, and Don Raymond in Vocal Productions NYC's Barber of Seville at the Rose Nagelberg Theater

Rossini's opera buffa, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, has been delighting audiences for two centuries with its ear tickling melodies tumbling out from capo to fine and it's charming age-old story about rebellious young lovers triumphing over possessive parent figures. Indeed, we never tire of Cesare Sterbini's witty libretto adapted from Pierre Beaumarchais' comedy. The situations are hilarious and it is impossible not to fall in love with the spunky Rosina, the wily Figaro, and the clueless Count.

In the role of Rosina, we heard the marvelous mezzo-soprano Madison Marie McIntosh who always astonishes us with her lavish ornamentation and seamless races through the vocal register. She had just the right mix of rebellious girlish glee and womanly resolve,  and sang "Una voce poco fa" with pinpoint accuracy in the ornamentation, much of which was original. She is definitely superstar material.

Before we move on, she is also cast for Saturday night, and the famous bass Valentin Peytchinov, who is the founder and Artistic Director of VPNYC, will himself sing the role of Don Basilio on that same date. Most of the roles are double and triple cast and we recognize the names of so many of the singers we enjoyed at the VPNYC benefit on Giving Tuesday which we reviewed earlier. So you can't go wrong no matter which date you choose. But the run ends Sunday so don't miss out!

As most of you know, Rosina is the ward of the grumpy Dr. Bartolo who would like to get his hands on her dowry and probably her person as well. She has been secretly wooed by one "Lindoro" who is actually the Count Almaviva in disguise. Tenor Sam Varhan has a distinctive comic flair and was hilarious in his disguises as a drunken soldier and as a music teacher.

In a wig itself worthy of giggles, Charles Gray performed the role of Dr. Bartolo and impressed us with his acting and singing. "A un dottor della mia sorte" was sung with pomposity and fine phrasing. He deals graciously with his ultimate defeat and we admire him for good sportsmanship.

Aiding and abetting the romance between Rosina and the Count is the wily Figaro who seems to come up with clever ideas in proportion to the amount of baksheesh he gets. Baritone Yun-Kwan Yiu gave an engaging performance. It seemed to be a running joke that he kept appearing in different wigs. 

We loved his duet with Rosina in Act I -- "Dunque io son...tu non m'inganni?" He also had a fine duet with the Count "All'idea di quel metallo".

The slimy music teacher Don Basilio was performed by the bass Gennadiy Vysotsky who carried off the aria "La calunnia è un venticello" along with some fine help from the percussionist. 

Berta is one of Dr. Bartolo's much put upon servants and we always enjoy the aria in which she laments her loneliness. This was finely performed last night by Patricia Mullenaux who doddered around the stage in humorous fashion. Dr. Bartolo's other servant Ambrogio was performed with much comic stage business by Don Raymond, who also performed the role of Fiorello, leading his ragtag group of musicians in the Count's opening serenade. It was interesting to see women in this group of musicians! Bill Atkinson was Chorus Director.

Jane Leathers did a fine job of directing, keeping things moving briskly and giving each performer stage business that helped to create his/her own character.

Kent Gasser designed an effective set which included Rosina's balcony above. This set element revolved so that we could see her bedroom on the other side of the doors. Dr. Bartolo's home was furnished with the necessary harpsichord, table and chairs, and a chaise longue. Figaro had a portable salon on wheels with all the accoutrements of a barber and hair stylist.

The lighting by Michael Celentano and Eowyn Joy was particularly effective during the storm scene, assisted by some stormy sounds coming from the orchestra which played well for Maestro Francisco Miranda.

Costuming by Hannah Conradt was colorful and period appropriate. Ms. McIntosh looked adorable, the military looked official, and the music teachers looked scholarly.

Finally, we would like to mention how excellently the cast sang the Italian. There was a wonderful ensemble feel which made the septet at the conclusion of Act I an absolute delight. Not only was the Italian diction excellent but the voices were well balanced as well. One of the major advantages to opera in a smaller theater is the opportunity to hear the different vocal lines instead of a wash of sound.

(c) meche kroop